1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scroll display method on a time axis, a scroll display control apparatus, and a storage medium and, for example, to a technique for moving the screen display field of information, which is formed along the time axis, along the time axis on a planning chart used in, e.g., scheduling on a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various techniques for displaying planning charts used in, e.g., scheduling on the display screen of a computer and controlling schedules on the computer have been proposed. As an example of a planning chart, a bar chart, a so-called Gantt chart, which is used in production planning, control, and the like, and depicts jobs, experiments, or the like planned or done in relation to time, is known.
When such Gantt chart is displayed on the entire computer screen or on a window in the screen, all scheduled items on the time axis cannot often be displayed. In such case, a GUI operation member called a scroll bar is displayed. By operating this scroll bar, information within the screen or window can be scrolled vertically or horizontally.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, only a schedule for one day is displayed on the display screen, and when a schedule for another day is to be input or checked, the user can move the display field to the right or left by clicking a right or left scroll button 41b or 41a of a scroll bar 41. In this case, upon operation of the left scroll button 41a, a schedule of the previous day is displayed on the screen, and upon operation of the right scroll button 41b, a schedule of the next day is displayed. By dragging a scroll box 41c to the right or left, the display field can be moved.
However, in the conventional technique which uses the aforementioned scroll bar 41 as a means for moving (scrolling) the display field along the time axis in association with information formed along the time axis such as a Gantt chart, scroll operability upon displaying information for a desired day on the screen is very poor.
More specifically, when the right or left scroll button 41b or 41a is used, the screen is scrolled once per clicking, and the scroll speed is low. When the display field is to be moved skipping many days, a long time is required. By holding down the right or left scroll buttons 41b or 41a, the same effect as continuous clicking can be obtained, but such operation is by no means convenient.
By contrast, when the scroll box 41c is used, the display field can be quickly moved to information of a schedule part corresponding to the dropped position of the scroll box 41c on the scroll bar 41. However, in order to display a schedule for a desired day on the screen, the user experiences difficulty in determining the dropping position of the scroll box 41c. As a consequence, the user must gradually move the display field using the right or left scroll button 41b or 41a, or the scroll box 41c to adjust the display position while confirming the screen.
It is an object of the present invention to improve scroll operability upon displaying information for a desired interval of time when a display field is scrolled along the time axis for information such as a Gantt chart on a computer.
In order to achieve the above object, a scroll display method on a time axis according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: displaying GUI operation members consisting of calendar information on the screen; and moving the screen display field along the time axis to display at least information corresponding to a date indicated by the operated GUI operation member on the screen upon operation of one of the GUI operation members.
Note that the GUI operation members may be displayed on the screen together with information to be displayed on the screen display field.
The GUI operation members may be a plurality of day buttons each of which is assigned to one day, a plurality of month buttons each of which is assigned to one month, or a plurality of year buttons each of which is assigned to one year.
The information displayed on the screen display field may be schedule information for scheduling, the method may have a mode for displaying the schedule information in units of days, a mode for displaying the schedule information in units of months, and a mode for displaying the schedule information in units of years, and the GUI operation members may be switched to a plurality of day buttons each of which is assigned to one day, a plurality of month buttons each of which is assigned to one month, or a plurality of year buttons each of which is assigned to one year in correspondence with one of the modes selected.
In another aspect of the present invention, the information displayed on the screen display field is time information for scheduling, the method has a mode for displaying one unit schedule of the time information, and a mode for simultaneously displaying a plurality of unit schedules, and when the mode for simultaneously displaying the plurality of unit schedules is selected, scrolling is made to move and display a plurality of unit schedules of the time information including a date indicated by the operated GUI operation member within the screen display field.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a GUI operation member consisting of a scroll bar is displayed in the vicinity of the GUI operation members consisting of the calendar information, and when the scroll bar is operated, the screen display field is moved along the time axis to display information of a date corresponding to a position of a scroll box that forms the scroll bar on the screen.
A scroll display control apparatus on the time axis according to the present invention is a scroll display control apparatus for moving a screen display field of information along a time axis, which is displayed on a screen, along the time axis, comprising GUI operation members consisting of calendar information displayed on the screen, and scroll means for moving the screen display field along the time axis to display at least information corresponding to a date indicated by the operated GUI operation member on the screen upon operation of one of the GUI operation members.
The GUI operation members may be a plurality of day buttons each of which is assigned to one day, a plurality of month buttons each of which is assigned to one month, or a plurality of year buttons each of which is assigned to one year.
In another aspect of the present invention, the information displayed on the screen display field is schedule information for scheduling, and the apparatus further comprises mode selection means for selecting one of a mode for displaying the schedule information in units of days, a mode for displaying the schedule information in units of months, and a mode for displaying the schedule information in units of years, and GUI switching means for switching the GUI operation members to a plurality of day buttons each of which is assigned to one day, a plurality of month buttons each of which is assigned to one month, or a plurality of year buttons each of which is assigned to one year in correspondence with one of the modes selected.
In still another aspect of the present invention, the information displayed on the screen display field is time information for scheduling, the apparatus further comprises mode selection means for selecting one of a mode for displaying one unit schedule of the time information, and a mode for simultaneously displaying a plurality of unit schedules, and when the mode for simultaneously displaying the plurality of unit schedules is selected, the scroll means scrolls to move and display a plurality of unit schedules of the time information including a date indicated by the operated GUI operation member within the screen display field.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a scroll button is used together with the day, month, or year buttons.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a GUI operation member consisting of a scroll bar is displayed in the vicinity of the GUI operation members consisting of the calendar information, and when the scroll bar is operated, the scroll means moves the screen display field along the time axis to display information of a date corresponding to a position of a scroll box that forms the scroll bar on the screen.
In still another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises first storage means for storing schedule information in units of years, months, and days for scheduling, second storage means for storing some pieces of schedule information read out from the first storage means, and read-out control means for, upon switching the modes, controlling to store some pieces of schedule information required for the selected mode from the first storage means to the second storage means, and when one of the GUI operation members is operated, the scroll means reads out information corresponding to a date indicated by the operated GUI operation member from the second storage means and displays the readout information on the screen.
A computer-readable storage medium according to the present invention records a program for making a computer implement a function of displaying GUI operation members consisting of calendar information displayed on a screen which can be scrolled to move a screen display field of information along a time axis, along the time axis, and moving the screen display field along the time axis to display at least information corresponding to a date indicated by the operated GUI operation member on the screen upon operation of one of the GUI operation members.
Note that the GUI operation members may be a plurality of day buttons each of which is assigned to one day, a plurality of month buttons each of which is assigned to one month, or a plurality of year buttons each of which is assigned to one year.
In another aspect of the present invention, the information displayed on the screen display field is schedule information for scheduling, and the medium further records a program for making the computer implement a function, which has mode selection means for selecting one of a mode for displaying the schedule information in units of days, a mode for displaying the schedule information in units of months, and a mode for displaying the schedule information in units of years, and which switches the GUI operation members to a plurality of day buttons each of which is assigned to one day, a plurality of month buttons each of which is assigned to one month, or a plurality of year buttons each of which is assigned to one year in correspondence with one of the modes selected.
In still another aspect of the present invention, the medium further records a program for making the computer implement a function of displaying a GUI operation member consisting of a scroll bar in the vicinity of the GUI operation members consisting of the calendar information, and moving the screen display field along the time axis to display information of a date corresponding to a position of a scroll box that forms the scroll bar on the screen upon operation of the scroll bar.